The Premier League is decided on games that are won. As long as you score more than your opponent in 90 minutes+, it doesn’t matter how many you concede. This has worked great for Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea in the first two Premier League games, but on Sunday it was time for a reality check at the Emirates.
2-3 win against Fulham. 4-3 win against Brighton. Full pot for Chelsea, with Xabi Alonso whipping the attack forward at an insane pace. Then it was time for the biggest test against the reigning Premier League champions, the club that conceded around half as many backwards as Chelsea last season.
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The Chelsea attack surged into a 0-1 lead with a goal by Rogers after just two minutes, but when Arsenal both closed down the defence and poured on in attack, Alonso’s strategy did not hold.
It ended with Martin Ødegaard as the match winner to a 2-1 victory, during the first three Premier League games, Chelsea have conceded 7 (!) goals.
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Alonso promises Chelsea fans that the defensive challenges will be solved.
“My priority is to win games and it’s usually easier when you don’t concede a lot of goals. It’s definitely something we have to get under control. We have to get better, we have to be more compact, more clinical and more balanced, but it also takes time,” Alonso said.
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